GONG - Flying Teapot - SCARCE Early Virgin UK 73 EX LP

	£		32
	$		42

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.25. Europe (including Russia) £12. Rest of World £16. ALL signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes.

NOTE: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P prices as low as possible after the very significant Royal Mail price increases and will never compromise on solid, safe packing.

Artist or Band: GONG

Album Title: The Flying Teapot [Radio Gnome Invisible part 1].

Producer(s): Giorgio Gomelsky.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Radio Gnome Invisible; Flying Teapot.

Side 2: The Pot Head Pixies; The Octave Doctors & The Crystal Machine; Zero The Hero & The Witch’s Spell; Witch’s Song / I Am Your Pussy.

Label/Format: Virgin – this is a very early second press type with the coloured twin virgins design (Please see my label scan).

Label Conditions: Both look fantastic: very clean, fresh and highly attractive with any of the very few spindle traces being very light and faint.

Cat Number: V 2002.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Warps: Assume all records I offer have no warping of any significance and all tracking is easy and effortless and should play on all turntables and even ‘budget’ decks.

Weight of this Record: 114 grams. a fairly typical weight for this era.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Scarce: early pressed copies of this prog classic are getting increasingly hard to find.

Original Year of Release: 1973

Matrix Nos: V-2002-A / V-2002-B

Musicians: Daevid Allen - vocals, guitar; Steve Hillage - guitar; Gilli Smyth - vocals; Didier Malherbe - saxes, flute; Tim Blake - keyboards, vocals; Christian Tritsch - guitar; Francis Moze - keyboards, bass; Laurie Allan - drums; Rachid Houari - percussion.

Brief Info: The first part of the ‘Radio Gnome’ trilogy, the others were ‘Angel’s Egg’ and ‘You’. Brilliant spaced-out, jazz-tinged, acid-prog and including their strongest ever line-up that included guitarist Steve Hillage. This is a superb record musically and very well pressed. Virgin were not always the most quietest of pressings and this, like other Gong albums has some very quiet passages, but this still very early pressing plays beautifully with very little unwanted and one of the very best I have heard. The colourful cover is lovely and has little to fault and for those who want the early prog classics, this will take some beating.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(+): and arguably better, so many of these are seen badly rubbed and ringworn. An unlaminated gatefold format with matt, smooth surfaces. Printed and made in England.

Cover Front: Great artwork seen to nigh-on perfection on a front with barely any hint of rubbing and still fresh and clean. Just one small tip crease (top left), but little else to fault.

Cover Back: Practically the same again in all respects – the lack of ring wear is a huge bonus on a cover that is somewhat prone.

Cover Inner Gatefold: Both faces are superb with practically nothing to fault. The odd minor semi-crease trace near the top edges if being critical.

Top Edges: A light trace of rubbing on the back centre, little else.

Bottom Edges: Any rubbing very light and gentle indeed, this quite unusual on the traditional storage edges.

Right Edge(s), and Type: The front edge is tucked and folded giving a neater finish, this has barely any wear at all. The back entrance edge is clean, generally sharp with little wear. A little thickening and burring is seen viewed end-on, this is guaranteed untrimmed.

Spine and Text: A very impressive spine, lacking the wear so many of this type have. Solid, straight, with no compression and folded square, so all edges meet up perfectly together and parallel. All text is perfect and unworn and the surface and even the folds retain almost complete ink retention. An incredibly fine hairline surface line from opening is natural and impossible to avoid unless ‘unused’.

Corners: Minimal tip rubbing but a fairly modest tip crease to the spine top. Very fine to excellent shape is retained.

Cover Summary: A strong and attractive all-round example of this classic Virgin cover, one that will prove very difficult to find much better. The lack of wear on the four main surfaces and spine is unusual as is the lack of sticker marks and major rubbing and ringwear. This colourful and clean item should please many, if not most collectors.

Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(++): a plain white unlined, very basic inner sleeve. Any creasing very few and light, all edges unsplit with no repairs, still very clean.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT: a very fine visual copy that is clean with a nice shine, intense black and fairly solidly pressed. Under bright angled light a few fine hairlines or very minor surface marks are seen, but these are merely superficial removal type blemishes few records will avoid totally. Any dull traces are within the pressing itself and have no detrimental affect on the very impressive sound this record offers. Visually a lovely record that should please many, if not most collectors again.

Album Played For Grading: Yes. [I play ALL records I offer before submitting to Ebay, also the record is played in its entirety unless clearly stated otherwise. I do NOT play snippets or joining grooves to check for sound quality and quietness – I play from the beginning to end via clinically revealing B&W speakers that include the legendary tweeter from their awesome Nautilus range that reveals every blemish or miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This early coloured virgins label copy plays even above it’s strong visual grading. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Any surface sound registered little, and this is an album with some very quiet passages. No pops and any ticks very few, gentle and light. Will any example of this nearly 40-year-old album ever play truly silent via vinyl? – well it would be a very tough ask. The complex groove patterns indicate many dark and lighter rings that indicate extremes in volume and content. These are always hard to find devoid of scratches and damage, this has avoided anything like that and was a pleasure to play-grade. Few copies will outperform this still early pressing I feel sure – the first black and white label changed very quickly to the ‘prettier’ colour version. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this very impressive record – I am a big Gong fan and this example does it nigh-on full justice. This copy will prove very difficult to find better and can be strongly recommended.

Now one of the most established sellers on Ebay and still offering the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. I pride myself on offering a variety of genres to keep my site as interesting as possible. I will rarely offer any record that falls below a true Excellent grading, unless its of a certain rarity which will justify offering a lesser grade. I try, to the best of my ability to describe as accurately and as honesty as I can all items I offer for sale with all the relevant information I can think of to help any potential bidder and collector. You may notice I only submit records sparingly on Ebay - on average ONEADAY, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, not just bits to guess a grade - visuals alone do not always tell a true or full story. I will mention any defects or flaws no matter how small that I notice to be fair as possible to any interested collector – I am very fussy and my buyers have the right to be too. Every record I offer, whether it be a common or rare item deserves the same respect as far as I am concerned and will be treated the same - just because an item is rare does not always mean its good. I get just as much pleasure offering a relatively common record in stunning near mint condition as the real rare items. All the pictures I use for your guidance are taken with a digital camera or scanned - they are NOT improved, cleaned-up or made better looking than they are with camera trickery or enhancing with digital programmes. What you see is what you get and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert and vice-versa. I hope the item below is to your liking - any questions can be emailed and I will do my very best to answer you. I am enthusiastic, and have a fair degree of knowledge about many genres and I promise quality items - bid with confidence - excellence comes as standard and so does Near Mint regularly. Please assume all records I offer have NO jumps, sticks, warps or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Deck: Linn LP12/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Terrarium Black terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional VPI-17 vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too. Pictures taken with a Nikon D5000 SLR Digital Camera.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.

What You Get: To confirm to the strict Ebay rules on shipping, I must now send ALL my packets ‘Signed-For’ with NO exceptions. Both buyers and sellers want their packets to have a safer journey and this is not a bad thing.

I now offer the fastest possible posting, often the very next day after payment is received or within two to three days maximum (unless on holiday). I only use FIRST-CLASS Mail. The record’s cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my new VPI-17 Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. You will NOT get tired, dull looking, dust infested records inside worn and foggy covers with tatty inners from this seller and that’s a promise and guarantee. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT Mailers, these do not offer any real protection). The record(s) are REMOVED from their main cover to avoid edge splits and placed within a brand new polylined inner. The record’s original inner will be included if available. The boxes are then reinforced with at least TWO, ULTRA THICK stiffeners for maximum extra protection – these are FOUR TIMES thicker than commercial stiffeners and are custom-made for oneadayrecords. Really rare and expensive albums will even be Double Boxed if deemed necessary and possible. When larger boxes are used, the thick record and stiffener ‘sandwich’ is then thickly embedded into bubble-wrap to bulk out the record inside the box to centre the item inside to reduce the risk of damage still further. Printed address labels are used for clarity as well as a sender label. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but ‘Signed-For’ posting is NOT an option anymore. I do not profit on posting and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners and bubble wrap make a near impregnable fortress for safe shipping and this is used inland and overseas for ALL my records, not just the rare and expensive. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than one in two thousand+ based on over 8,000+ items sold in over 10 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. The only damage rate acceptable for this seller is ZERO and I think my packets will offer just that. It would take a vicious postman or postal service to damage these for sure. Even one of these stiffeners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 2 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FIVE records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). All postage costs are below and at the top of the listing.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please ask me first.

PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of FOUR days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the, again after the mandatory FOUR days and then offer the item to the runner-up or relist. The non-payer will also be blocked from my Ebay site and they take the Ebay consequences (a strike or removal from the system). Small businesses need prompt payment to trade and these strict rules WILL be applied.

SHIPPING COSTS & CONDITIONS – THESE comply with EBAY’S RULES - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent via Recorded Delivery:

1 LP (FIRST-CLASS Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4.25

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £8. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £3 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); South America; New Zealand; Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £16 (£17 for double sets). Add £3 per extra LP. (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3)

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders or direct payment into my bank account.

Potential Bidders: I will cancel any bids I feel are time-wasters. A maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if not I will relist the item or offer to the runner-up. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask and thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: If any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer, so read the item description carefully. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help. Thank You.

SOME GENERAL GUIDES TO WEAR AND CONDITIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE

My Use of Description Terminology: Surface Marks = Superficial, usually light marks, hairlines or light scuffs that rarely sound. Scratch = a needle mark that goes below the record’s surface, some will sound, some will not, my play-grade will inform. Original = a record that has been pressed with the first label design which does NOT necessarily mean a very first pressed record. First Pressing = A record that I believe or know to be a genuine very first pressed record. I do not claim to always know for sure, and that’s why I state the stamper and matrix numbers if at all possible, for those who claim to know what they all mean, the information is there for the collector to decide. I prefer to use terms like ‘Early Copy’ rather than ‘First Pressing’ if I am not totally sure. Surface Sound = Mild, light sound, usually light crackle or similar. Distortion = Break up of the actual sound caused by groove wear or damage from a chipped stylus – the most undesirable form of unwanted sound, vintage mono records were the most prone to this happening but not exclusively so. The symptoms of distortion are high frequency clipping, moderate constant crackle or an echo type sound quality. Violin, piano and vocals are most prone to groove-wear distortion. Feathering = Fraying or softening of the entry edge of a cover. Covers with feathered entrance edges are more likely to have had the actual record inserted and removed more than a non-feathered, sharp-edged cover which are always far more attractive. Set Off, actually a printer’s term for dark ink leaving mild residue on pale or white ink when rested upon. e.g. when a gatefold cover has black ink closed against white, this can leave some black residue on the pale area – this is mostly unavoidable or course.

The Argument for Vinyl Original sound and mix (mono mixes are rarely available on CD), high quality sound on clean copies (played on a hi-end dedicated analogue system – breathtaking sound!), beautiful, large format covers, artwork, inserts and even full size posters etc; huge investment potential, and the pleasure of owning ‘the real thing’.